Electrical connector



May 21, 1968 G. H. LOOSE 3,384,859

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed June 14, 1966 VIII/Ill Fig.3

I INVENTOR. uemer H. L o 0 as A TTORNE-Y United States Patent 3,384,859 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Guenter H. Loose, Bradford, Pa., assignor to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 14, 1966, Ser. No. 557,507 3 Claims. (Cl. 339-59) This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to low contact resistance, non-directional electrical connectors.

In certain single engagement applications, such as for example, electrical connections bet-ween immersion-type thermocouple units employed in the measurement of high temperatures of molten materials, such as molten steel, the prior art electrical connectors between the thermocouple portion and the lance holding the thermocouple in the molten material has presented numerous problems. High contact resistance results in poor electrical connection between the thermocouple portion and the remaining circuit and introduces an error into the signal received from the thermocouple causing the resulting reading to be erroneous. Furthermore, such connectors have been directional, that is required orientation of the parts for proper engagement making the connection more tedious and time consuming while not always providing positive engagement.

It is an object of the present invention to form an economic, non-directional electrical connector having low contact resistance.

Another object of this invention is to provide an electrical connector the female portion of which is suitable for a single engagement.

A further object of this invention is to provide an economic electrical connector which overcomes the heretofore noted disadvantages.

According to the present invention an electrical connector is provided wherein the male portion comprises a pair of spaced concentric terminals and the female portion embodies a pair of apertures formed so as to mate with the terminals of the male portion, each of said apertures having disposed within them a substantially U shaped wire-like terminal which is scraped and deformed during engagement of the two portions of the connector, which scraping and deforming removes oxide formation or other surface coatings from the terminals and provides ample contact pressure to result in low contact resistance between the various cont-acting terminals.

By non-directional is meant that the connector may be electrically mated and engaged without the need for orientation of either of the male or female portion thereof with respect to the other. So long as the longitudinal axes of the connector parts are aligned, one of the connector parts may be engaged with the other in any position through 360 rotation thereof.

Additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, from the following detailed description and the attached drawing on which, by way of example, only the preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated.

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of the male portion of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the female portion of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the female portion of the electrical connector of FIGURE 2 taken along line B-3 thereof.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown the male portion of an electrical connector having dielectric member or body 12 within which an electrically conductive member or terminal 14 is disposed along the longitudinal axis thereof. Concentrically surrounding terminal -14 and spaced therefrom is a second electrically conductive member or terminal 16. Electrical contact with terminals .14 and '16 is made by means of lead wires 18 and 20 respectively which are firmly connected to the terminals by any suitable means well known in the art. As shown in FIGURE 1, terminals 14 and 16 are molded within body 12 and form an integral part thereof. Terminal 14 extends forward of terminal 16 to facilitate mating :with the female portion of the connector.

Female connector 22 is illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 having body 24, within which a pair of apertures 26 and 28 have been formed concentrically about the longitudinal axis of body 24. A pair of substantially U shaped wire-like terminals "30 and 32 are disposed Within apertures 26 and 28 respectively. One leg of U shaped terminal 30 is disposed within aperture 26 and fixedly secured at the end thereof by being fitted into hole 34. Hole 34 is formed within the base portion adjacent the sidewall defining aperture 26 along radial axis 36. The other leg of terminal 30 extends through and beyond body 24, along radial axis 38, so that portion 40 thereof forms a lead suitable for exterior connection as desired.

Similarly, one leg of U shaped terminal 32 is disposed within aperture 28 and fixedly secured at the end by being fitted in hole 41 in the base portion adjacent the sidewall defining aperture 28 along radial axis 42. The other leg of terminal 32 extends through and beyond body 24, along radial axis 44, so that portion 46 thereof is suitable for exterior connection as desired.

Portions 10 and 22 of the connector are engaged by inserting the extended portion of terminal 14 into aperture 28 and terminal 16 into aperture 2-6. It has been found that by displacing radial axis 36 from radial axis 38 by angle A, which is up to about terminal 30 extends away from the sidewall defining aperture 26 as shown by space or area 48 in FIGURE 2. Similarly, area 50 is enclosed by terminal 32 and the sidewall defining aperture 28, since radial axes 42 and 44 are displaced by angle B which is also up to about 90.

Body 24 may be formed of any suitable resilient dielectric material such as Teflon, vinyl, silicone, hard rubber, and the like. Body 12 may be formed of any dielectric material such as glass, Bakelite, Teflon, and the like.

The size of terminal 14 is formed such that when it is inserted into aperture 28 it fits very snugly and scrapes off the surface of terminal 32 and causes it to deform and conform to the shape of aperture 28. Since body 24 is formed of resilient material, terminal 32 readily deforms rather than shears as a result of the insertion of terminal 14 into aperture 28. By scraping off the surface of terminal 32 and applying sufficient pressure to deform it, a low resistance connection results between terminal 14 and terminal 32.

Simultaneously with the insertion of terminal 14 into aperture 28, terminal 16 is inserted into aperture 26 whereby the surface of terminal 30 is scraped off within aperture 26 and it is deformed by terminal 16 and caused to conform to the shape of aperture 26. Again, since body 24 is formed of resilient material terminal 60- deforms rather than shears as a result of the insertion of terminal 16 into aperture 26. Due to scraped-off surface of terminal 30 and the pressure exerted thereon by terminal 16, a low resistance electrical connection is effected between these two terminals.

The material of terminals 14, 16, 30, and 32 may be any suitable material such as copper, brass, silver, and the like.

It is readily seen by one familiar with the art that the male portion of the present connector maybe repeatedly used while the female portion is best suited for a single engagement although it may be reused due to the inherent resiliency of terminals 30 and 32 as well as body 24.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific details of certain embodiments thereof, it is not intended that such details be limitations upon the scope of the invention except insofar as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

'1. An electrical connector comprising a first resilient dielectric member having a first circular aperture formed therein defined by a sidewall and a base portion, and a second circular aperture of a diameter smaller than said first aperture formed substantially concentrically with said first aperture Within said base portion, said second aperture also being defined by a sidewall and a base portion,

a first substantially U shaped wire-like terminal having one end fixedly connected to the base portion adjacent the sidewall defining said first aperture along a first radial axis of said member and extending out of said first aperture and through said member beyond said first aperture along a second radial axis of said member displaced from said first axis by an angle of up to about 90, I

a second substantially U shaped wire-like terminal having one end fixedly connected to the base portion adjacent the sidewall defining said second aperture along a third radial axis of said member and extending out of said first aperture and through said base portion defining said first aperture along a, fourth radial axis of said member displaced from said third radial axis by an angle of up to about 90,

a second dielectric member,

a first electrically conductive member extending through said second dielectric member for mating engagement with said second terminal Within said second aperture, and

a second electrically conductive member concentrically surrounding said first electrically conductive member in a s aced relationship therewith for engagement with said first terminal within said first aperture simultaneously with the engagement of said first conductive member with said second conductive ter minal.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said first resilient dielectric member is composed of material selected from the group consisting of Teflon, vinyl, silicon, and hard rubber.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2 wherein the first and second wire-like terminals are deformable within said first and second apertures respectively.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,253,015 8/194'1 Centrella 339-184 X 2,972, 125 2/1961 Temple et al 339-61 3,024,295 6/1962 Moore. 3,048,642 8/ 1962 Parker.

PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Primary Examiner.

MARVIN CHAMPION, Examiner.

I. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPRISING A FIRST RESILIENT DIELECTRIC MEMBER HAVING A FIRST CIRCULAR APERTURE FORMED THEREIN DEFINED BY A SIDEWALL AND A BASE PORTION, AND A SECOND CIRCULAR APERTURE OF A DIAMETER SMALLER THAN SAID FIRST APERTURE FORMED SUBSTANTIALLY CONCENTRICALLY WITH SAID FIRST APERTURE WITHIN SAID BASE PORTION, SAID SECOND APERTURE ALSO BEING DEFINED BY A SIDEWALL AND A BASE PORTION, A FIRST SUBSTANTIALLY U SHAPED WIRE-LIKE TERMINAL HAVING ONE END FIXEDLY CONNECTED TO THE BASE PORTION ADJACENT THE SIDEWALL DEFINING SAID FIRST APERTURE ALONG A FIRST RADIAL AXIS OF SAID MEMBER AND EXTENDING OUT OF SAID FIRST APERTURE AND THROUGH SAID MEMBER BEYOND SAID FIRST APERTURE ALONG A SECOND RADIAL AXIS OF SAID MEMBER DISPLACED FROM SAID FIRST AXIS BY AN ANGLE OF UP TO ABOUT 90*, A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY U SHAPED WIRE-LIKE TERMINAL HAVING ONE END FIXEDLY CONNECTED TO THE BASE PORTION ADJACENT THE SIDEWALL DEFINING SAID SECOND APERTURE ALONG A THIRD RADIAL AXIS OF SAID MEMBER AND EXTENDING OUT OF SAID FIRST APERTURE AND THROUGH SAID BASE PORTION DEFINING SAID FIRST APERTURE ALONG A FOURTH RADIAL AXIS OF SAID MEMBER DISPLACED FROM SAID THIRD RADIAL AXIA BY AN ANGLE OF UP TO ABOUT 90*, A SECOND DIELECTRIC MEMBER, A FIRST ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SECOND DIELECTRIC MEMBER FOR MATING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SECOND TERMINAL WITHIN SAID SECOND APERTURE, AND A SECOND ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MEMBER CONCENTRICALLY SURROUNDING SAID FIRST ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MEMBER IN A SPACED RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST TERMINAL WITHIN SAID FIRST APERTURE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID FIRST CONDUCTIVE MEMBER WITH SAID SECOND CONDUCTIVE TERMINAL. 